Monday, June 2, 2025
  • Business
  • Investing
  • World-news
  • Stock
No Result
View All Result
Finance Mastery News
Advertisement
  • Business
  • Investing
  • World-news
  • Stock
No Result
View All Result
Finance Mastery News
No Result
View All Result
Home World-news

Austria’s Freedom Party secures first far-right national election win since World War II

admin by admin
September 30, 2024
in World-news
0
Austria’s Freedom Party secures first far-right national election win since World War II
0
SHARES
2
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Freedom Party secured the first far-right national parliamentary election victory in post-World War II Austria on Sunday, finishing ahead of the governing conservatives after tapping into anxieties about immigration, inflation, Ukraine and other issues. But its chances of governing were unclear.

Preliminary official results showed the Freedom Party finishing first with 29.2% of the vote and Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s Austrian People’s Party was second with 26.5%. The center-left Social Democrats were in third place with 21%. The outgoing government – a coalition of Nehammer’s party and the environmentalist Greens – lost its majority in the lower house of parliament.

Herbert Kickl, a former interior minister and longtime campaign strategist who has led the Freedom Party since 2021, wants to be chancellor.

But to become Austria’s new leader, he would need a coalition partner to command a parliamentary majority. Rivals have said they won’t work with Kickl in government.

The far right has benefited from frustration over high inflation, the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also built on worries about migration.

In its election program, titled “Fortress Austria,” the Freedom Party calls for “remigration of uninvited foreigners,” for achieving a more “homogeneous” nation by tightly controlling borders and suspending the right to asylum via an emergency law.

The Freedom Party also calls for an end to sanctions against Russia, is highly critical of Western military aid to Ukraine and wants to bow out of the European Sky Shield Initiative, a missile defense project launched by Germany. Kickl has criticized “elites” in Brussels and called for some powers to be brought back from the European Union to Austria.

“We don’t need to change our position, because we have always said that we’re ready to lead a government, we’re ready to push forward this change in Austria side by side with the people,” Kickl said in an appearance alongside other party leaders on ORF public television. “The other parties should ask themselves where they stand on democracy,” he added, arguing that they should “sleep on the result.”

Nehammer said it was “bitter” that his party missed out on first place, but noted he brought it back from lower poll ratings. He has often said he won’t form a coalition with Kickl and said that “what I said before the election, I also say after the election.”

More than 6.3 million people were eligible to vote for the new parliament in Austria, an EU member that has a policy of military neutrality.

Kickl has achieved a turnaround since Austria’s last parliamentary election in 2019. In June, the Freedom Party narrowly won a nationwide vote for the first time in the European Parliament election, which also brought gains for other European far-right parties.

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders, whose party dominates the Netherlands’ new government, congratulated the Freedom Party on social network X Sunday. So did Alice Weidel, a co-leader of the Alternative for Germany party.

The Freedom Party is a long-established force but Sunday’s result was its best yet in a national parliamentary election, beating the 26.9% it scored in 1999.

In 2019, its support slumped to 16.2% after a scandal brought down a government in which it was the junior partner. Then-vice chancellor and Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache resigned following the publication of a secretly recorded video in which he appeared to offer favors to a purported Russian investor.

The leader of the Social Democrats, a party that led many of Austria’s post-World War II governments, positioned himself as the polar opposite to Kickl. Andreas Babler ruled out governing with the far right and labeled Kickl “a threat to democracy.”

While the Freedom Party has recovered, the popularity of Nehammer’s People’s Party declined sharply compared with 2019. Support for the Greens, their coalition partner, also dropped to 8%.

During the election campaign, Nehammer portrayed his party, which has taken a tough line on immigration in recent years, as “the strong center” that would guarantee stability amid multiple crises.

But crises ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and resulting rising energy prices and inflation also cost it support. The government also angered many Austrians in 2022 with a short-lived coronavirus vaccine mandate, the first in Europe.

But the recent flooding caused by Storm Boris that hit Austria and other countries may have helped Nehammer slightly narrow the gap as a crisis manager.

The People’s Party is the far right’s only way into government, and now holds the key to forming any administration.

Nehammer repeatedly excluded joining a government led by Kickl, describing him as a “security risk” for the country, but didn’t rule out a coalition with the Freedom Party itself — which would imply Kickl renouncing a position in government. But that looks very unlikely with the Freedom Party in first place.

The alternative would be an alliance between the People’s Party and the Social Democrats — with or without the liberal Neos, who took 9% of the vote.

A final official result will be published later in the week after a small number of remaining postal ballots have been counted, but those won’t change the outcome substantially.

About 300 protesters gathered outside the parliament building in Vienna Sunday evening, holding placards with slogans including “Kickl is a Nazi.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Previous Post

Rescuers use zip lines and boats to reach survivors as Nepal flooding and landslides kill nearly 200 people

Next Post

Israel wants to change the balance of power in the Middle East. History has a warning

admin

admin

Next Post
Israel wants to change the balance of power in the Middle East. History has a warning

Israel wants to change the balance of power in the Middle East. History has a warning

    Fill Out & Get More Relevant News


    Stay ahead of the market and unlock exclusive trading insights & timely news. We value your privacy - your information is secure, and you can unsubscribe anytime. Gain an edge with hand-picked trading opportunities, stay informed with market-moving updates, and learn from expert tips & strategies.

    • Trending
    • Comments
    • Latest
    Criminals are looting millions from ATMs in Europe. Here’s why Germany is a prime target

    Criminals are looting millions from ATMs in Europe. Here’s why Germany is a prime target

    October 28, 2024
    Israeli MP behind bill to expel key UN agency accuses US of interfering with process

    Israeli MP behind bill to expel key UN agency accuses US of interfering with process

    October 28, 2024
    British nurse Lucy Letby loses bid to appeal single attempted murder conviction

    British nurse Lucy Letby loses bid to appeal single attempted murder conviction

    October 25, 2024
    North Korean troops spotted in Russian border region with Ukraine, says Kyiv

    North Korean troops spotted in Russian border region with Ukraine, says Kyiv

    October 25, 2024
    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    0
    Private payroll growth slowed to 122,000 in July, less than expected, ADP says

    Private payroll growth slowed to 122,000 in July, less than expected, ADP says

    0
    The 10 worst states to retire in the U.S. No. 1 isn’t California or New York

    The 10 worst states to retire in the U.S. No. 1 isn’t California or New York

    0
    Boeing taps aerospace veteran Ortberg to replace Dave Calhoun as CEO

    Boeing taps aerospace veteran Ortberg to replace Dave Calhoun as CEO

    0
    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    June 2, 2025
    Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria

    Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria

    June 2, 2025
    Poland’s presidential election on a knife edge after heated election, exit polls show

    Poland’s presidential election on a knife edge after heated election, exit polls show

    June 2, 2025
    Ukraine targets several Russian air bases in large-scale operation ‘Spiderweb’

    Ukraine targets several Russian air bases in large-scale operation ‘Spiderweb’

    June 2, 2025

    Recent News

    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    June 2, 2025
    Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria

    Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria

    June 2, 2025
    Poland’s presidential election on a knife edge after heated election, exit polls show

    Poland’s presidential election on a knife edge after heated election, exit polls show

    June 2, 2025
    Ukraine targets several Russian air bases in large-scale operation ‘Spiderweb’

    Ukraine targets several Russian air bases in large-scale operation ‘Spiderweb’

    June 2, 2025

    Disclaimer: financemasterynews.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Browse by Category

    • Business
    • Investing
    • Stock
    • World-news

    Recent News

    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    How a Trump-fueled brain drain could be the rest of the world’s brain gain

    June 2, 2025
    Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria

    Athletes, coaches and officials among 22 killed in road accident in northern Nigeria

    June 2, 2025
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Copyright © 2025 financemasterynews.com | All Rights Reserved

    No Result
    View All Result

    Copyright © 2025 financemasterynews.com | All Rights Reserved